Fire-escape.



PATBNTED FEB. 3,1903..

L. CASANOVA.

PIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. so, 1902.

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PATENTBD PEB. 3, 1903. L.- CASANOVA.

PIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1902.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUIGI CASANOVA, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

FIRE- ESCAPE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,646, dated February 3, 1903.

Application filed August 30.1902. Serial No. 121,669. (N0 model-l To @ZZ whom. it may concern.-

Beit known that l, LUIGI CASANOVA, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to ileescapes, and has for its object to provide a simple, safe, and ever-ready device in which there are provided certain improvements in the construction, form, and arrangement ot' the several parts, whereby the descent. of the person using the device may be accurately regulated through a controlling-handle which is lowered simultaneously with the person in such a manner as to maintain itsrrelative position with respect to the device which suspends the person.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character which will bevery strong and in which a verysimple construction is provided for rendering the device capable of doing double service by bringing one suspension device and its controlling-handle into position for use as the other suspension device and its controlling-handle have been lowered.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents the device in transverse vertical section, the parts being shown in their normal position ready for use; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane of the line a ZJ of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Three pulleys 1, 2, and 3 are mounted on suitable axles 1727 2S, which are fixed at proper distances apart in front and back plates 29 30, which plates are connected together by four plates 31 32 33 34 for producing a light and strong framework. A rope 4 is passed several times around each of the pulleys l, 2, and 3 and is guided to and from the said pulleys by means of guides 6 6 6 6'", carried by the framework. The opposite ends of the rope 4 are provided with suspension devices 5, one only of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, which device may be a belt arranged to embrace the body of the person using the fire-escape. A rotary double drum 11 is carried by two links 15 16, hinged on the axle 17 of one of the side pulleysin the present instance the pulley 1. This double drum 1l is geared to t-he pulley 1 by means of spurgears. Controlling-ropes 7 and 8 are arranged to be alternately wound upon and unwound from the double drum 11 as the double drum is rotated in one or the other direction bythe pulley 1. The ratio between the gears 9 and 10 on the pulley l and drum 11 is such that they will deliver or take up practically the same amount of rope. rlhe lower ends of the ropes 7 and 8 are provided with controllinghandles 8', one handle only being shown in the accompanying drawingsviz., that attached to the rope 8.

Band-brakes are provided for the pulleys l and 2, the band-brake for the pulley l comprising a strap 13, secured at one end to a stud 23, carried by the plate 34, and at` its other end to a stud 24, carried by a rocking lever 19, hinged on a stud or axle 14, projecting from the back plate 30. The brake for the pulley 2 comprises a strap 12, having one end secured to a stud 22, projecting from the back plate 30, and its other end secured to a stud 26, carried by the rocking lever 19 upon the opposite side of its hinged connection 14 from the stud 24. The free end of the rocking lever 19 is connected to the free ends of the links 15 and 16 by a link 13. A vspring 20 is connected at one end to a stud 21, projecting from the back plate 30, and at its other end to the free end of the rocking lever 19 for normally holding the rocking lever 19 against a pin 19',with the band-brakes in their released adjustment. These band-brakes may be provided with suitable wearing-surfaces composed of leather, copper, or other suitable material, as shown at 25, Fig. 1. These brakebands 12 and 13 pass around suitable co1- lars on the said pulleys 1 and 2.

I provide a suitable framework 35 36 37 38, which is attached to the back plate 30 and which is hinged at 39 to some suitable support (not shown herein) for permitting the device to be swung into and out of position for use.

The operation of the device is as follows: The first person to descend secures himself by the suspension device 5 at the end of the rope 4 adjacent to the pulley 1. The person then grasps the handle 8 of the rope S wound IOO upon the double drum 11. As the person descends he may absolutely control his speed by manipulating the handle 8 for applying the brakes 12 and 13 to a greater or lesser eX- tent. As the person descends the other portion of the rope 4 will be correspondingly raised,and the controlling-rope? willbe wound around the double drum 11. The lengths of the several ropes are such that when one end of the rope 4 reaches the ground the other end thereof is raised into position to be used by the next succeeding person, thus increasing the rapidity with which the device may be used as an escape. `rlhe second person descending will use the controlling-rope 7 for controlling the speed of descent.

By the use of two band-brakes connected as hereinabove described I am enabled to produce a device which can be absolutely controlled by a very slight amount of pull upon the controlling device, the two brakes giving avery great purchase when required.

When the device is not in use, the long ends of the ropes 7 and 4 may be coiled upon a suitable platform 40, as shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim is- 1. A nre-escape comprising a suitable framework, three pulleys mounted to rotate therein, a rope wound around the pulleys, a suspension device carried by the rope for engaging the person, a brake engaging one of the pulleys, a brake-controlling drum geared to the pulley and a controlling-rope wound upon the drum, the geared connection between the pulley and drum being arranged to and two controlling-ropes arranged to be alternately wound and unwound as the drum is rotated in one or the other direction by the winding and unwinding of the opposite ends of the person-supporting rope, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fire-escape, a suitable framework, three pulleys mounted therein, a person-supporting rope wound around the pulleys, bandbrakes engaging two of the pulleys, a rocking lever connectedto the brakes, a spring for normally holding the brakes released, a double drum connected to the lever and geared to one of the brake-pulleys and controllingropes arranged to be wound upon and unwound from the drum as the ends of the person-supporting rope are raised and lowered, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 21st day of August, 1902.

LUIGI CASANOVA. Witnesses:

THEoDoRE MACKER, FRED; M. BUMYso 

